Terminal Device D2D Discovery Signal Carrier Selection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In device-to-device (D2D) communication, terminal devices face increased load due to the need to detect discovery signals on all component carriers, leading to resource consumption and processing complexity, especially when carrier aggregation is supported.

Innovation Solution

A mechanism is introduced where a base station transmits carrier information indicating the component carrier for transmitting a discovery signal, allowing terminal devices to conduct detection processes only on specified carriers, thereby reducing the load for both detection and transmission of discovery signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If terminal devices conduct detection process on all component carriers to detect discovery signals, then the discovery signal can be reliably detected, but the processing load and resource consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediscovery signal detection reliabilityVSAvoidterminal device processing load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the necessary detection scope from the complete set of component carriers. Instead of requiring terminal devices to detect discovery signals on all component carriers, the system identifies and extracts only the specific component carrier where the discovery signal is actually transmitted, based on carrier information provided by the base station. This extraction principle directly reduces the detection scope and processing load while maintaining detection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The base station acts as an intermediary that provides carrier information to terminal devices. This intermediary mechanism allows terminal devices to obtain guidance on which specific component carrier contains the discovery signal, eliminating the need for exhaustive detection across all carriers. The carrier information serves as a mediator that bridges the gap between the base station's signal transmission and the terminal device's detection process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If terminal devices support carrier aggregation for D2D communication, then communication versatility is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring discovery signals increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveD2D communication versatilityVSAvoiddiscovery signal detection difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The base station performs preliminary action by providing carrier information to terminal devices before the terminal devices attempt to detect discovery signals. This advance information about which component carrier contains the discovery signal allows terminal devices to skip the preliminary exhaustive search phase, directly targeting the correct carrier for detection. This preliminary action by the base station significantly reduces the detection difficulty while maintaining carrier aggregation support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Area of stationary object

If terminal devices transmit discovery signals on all component carriers, then discovery coverage is improved, but the resource consumption and processing load increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediscovery signal coverageVSAvoidterminal device energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by concentrating discovery signal transmission resources on specific component carriers rather than uniformly distributing them across all carriers. The base station provides carrier information that identifies the local (specific) component carrier where the discovery signal should be transmitted and detected. This localized approach maintains effective discovery coverage while significantly reducing the energy consumption and processing load associated with transmitting and detecting signals on all carriers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3651502B1Terminal device and method

Publication Date: 2022.05.18 SONY GROUP CORP

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

A terminal device comprising a radio communication unit (220) and a processing unit (260). The processing unit (260) is configured to receive system information including carrier information from a base station via a first downlink component carrier, the carrier information being used for transmission of a discovery signal for device-to-device communication between the terminal device and another terminal device; and to detect, on a carrier indicated by the carrier information, the discovery signal transmitted from said other terminal device. The first downlink component carrier corresponds to a first uplink component carrier, and the carrier indicated by the carrier information corresponds to a second uplink component carrier. Further, at least the first uplink component carrier and the second uplink component carrier are used for carrier aggregation by the terminal device.